1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a vessel having an articulating member. More particularly, the present invention relates to an amphibious air-propelled vessel equipped with at least one powered articulating member. More particularly still, the present invention relates to an air boat equipped with at least one powered articulating member.
2. Description of Related Art
Towers, such as radio transmission towers and/or electrical power transmission towers, are frequently located in shallow lakes or bays, or in low-lying, swampy or marshy wetland areas. Depending on the particular location or climate, such areas can often be covered with snow or ice.
Frequently, equipment situated at or near the top of such towers requires servicing or repair. For example, it is often necessary to replace aircraft warning lights, or to repair equipment near the top of such towers following hurricanes or other violent weather events. In many cases, such servicing requires that maintenance personnel be lifted to the upper extent of such towers, often by means of hydraulically operated personnel lifts, in order to access the equipment in question.
When located on firm ground, towers can be easily accessed and serviced using personnel lifts mounted on trucks or other conventional vehicles. However, towers situated in lakes or marshy environments cannot be accessed by trucks or other wheeled vehicles. Although boats can be used in some circumstances, towers situated in shallow lakes or marshy environments are often inaccessible to standard boats because the water depth is too shallow to accommodate the draft of such boat, or because plant growth inhibits or prevents the use of conventional propellers.
In many cases, towers located in shallow lakes or bays, or swampy or frozen environments, can only be accessed by tracked vehicles often referred to as “swamp buggies”. Such swamp buggies are generally slow, awkward and inefficient to operate. Further, the tracks of swamp buggies often severely damage environmentally sensitive areas including, without limitation, water bottoms, oyster reefs and the like. Moreover, swamp buggies must often take circuitous routes when traveling to a work site depending upon the terrain at issue, thereby increasing overall inefficiency and damage to the environment.
Thus, there is a need for a vehicle having a articulating member that can access work sites situated in remote locations. Such vehicle should be able to easily traverse land, marine and marshy environments, including environments having relatively shallow water depths. Further, such vehicle should be agile and efficient, and should cause minimal negative effects on environmentally sensitive areas.